Play Meter

Several years ago when the English rock group "The Who" contacted
Bally Manufacturing and requested permission to use the trade name
"Bally" in the lines of some of their new songs, no one had any idea that
that interaction was to be the spark that would ignite an explosion of
national interest in the amusement machine industry .
No one knew at the time the song , which was only one of a number of
related songs in the form of a "rock opera ," was eventually going to be
performed by none other than Elton John In the major motion picture ,
"Tommy ."
Ever since then this industry has been featured on a number of national
television programs and commerCials , and it's been written about in a good
many national newspapers . As a result of this tremendous positive
exposure to the American public , one of the major problems that faced this
industry- namely , its image - was resolved. Product promotion , an
almost forgotten basic , was rediscovered.
Fortunately for this industry there were a number of individuals who saw
the writing on the wall and brought their companies , and this Industry , out
of the closet and into a new era of respectability and prosperity . Through
national promotions and tournaments , this industry receives a great deal of
attention . Events such as these focus the attention on the products and
services this industry has to offer the general public . In a very real sense , it's
a form of advertising .
Advertising and promotion go together , and no matter how big or little
one's operation may be , you 're only cheating yourself If you don't cash in
on the benefits of promoting your products . It is no coincidence that
organizations such as Bally , Tournament Soccer , and U.S . Billiards
advertise regularly in the pages of PLAY METER . They know that
exposure is the key to increased sales . The more people that are. aware of
your product, the more of your product you will sell . It is as simple as that.
In this month's issue we salute all those manufacturers, distributors , and
operators who have recognized this avenue of endeavor and have enabled
the industry to profit as a whole .
We feature our first dual Coin man of the Month interview . Lee-Peppard
and Cal Rogers of Tournament Soccer have developed quite an expertise
in the field of tournaments , and so we decided to pick their brains as far as
how and why they are so heavily committed to the tournament concept.
We also have a wealth of information on tournaments and promotions
in this issue . There's a fine article by Herb Gross which details a
step-by-step approach of how to go about setting up your own
tournaments . Joe McCarthy , a well-known foosball distributor , has some
suggestions along the lines of league play that should keep both the
locations and the players happy . It's a must-piece for anyone with foosball
tables. Managing Editor David Pierson has rounded up about a dozen
tournament and promotion hints which can help set you to creating a
promotion to your own specifications . And Roger C . Sharpe offers his
suggestions on running a pinball tournament.
You 'll realize as you read through these articles that every writer has his
own ideas on how a promotion should be run . And all of their points are
well-taken . It's up to you to sift through the material and find the ones that
would be best for you .
All in all , I think you 'll find this issue packed with information you can
use .
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Ralph C . Lally II
Editor and Publisher
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PLAY METER , May, 1978